First, it is very
important to make a clean cut so ensure you have a quality
cigar cutter. A clean cut made with the right tools and in
the right place will decrease your chances of having the
cigar
unravel, which may make for an unpleasant smoke. A
clear and regular cut is key.

2.

At
the head of the cigar (the covered end that goes in your mouth),
you will see the cap, which is a round piece of tobacco that
is glued to the head to keep the wrapper together. This
cap is put on the head of the cigar during the hand-rolling
process to keep it from
unraveling and drying out. You should see a distinct line
where the cap ends.

3.

You only want to
remove the outer layer of wrapper, not cut off a centimeter
of tobacco. To ensure a clean cut and to avoid tearing
the wrapper, cut just before
the cap leaving 3-4 mm. (Tip: On figurados, just cut off enough so you can see the filler.)
For the best results, try making one quick, strong
movement. Tip: For bullet punch cutters, insert the punch on the head of the cigar to
cleanly cut a small hole. If you prefer lots of smoke,
you'll want to cut a bigger hole so you would need to punch several times
in that area of the cap. Bullet punch cutters are popular
because of their key ring accessibility, but unfortunately,
they will not work on Figuardo's.

The key to a good cigar cut is
to be quick and precise. Find your mark and clip it quickly. Using a
good quality cutter and cutting quickly will give you the best
advantage. Also ensure the blades are sharp so that there is
no tearing involved. Cutting your cigar correctly means you
will have a better tasting smoke.